Amona
AmonaFlash 90

The monthly Peace Index, a survey of Israeli public opinion by the Israel Democracy Institute and Tel Aviv University, found that 46% of the public support passing a special law to avoid evacuating Amona; while slightly fewer – 43% - support the Attorney General’s position, opposing such a law.

The survey question was introduced with a statement clearly explaining that Amona had, according to the Supreme Court “been built without the proper authorizations and partially on private Palestinian land.” The survey also included a statement that, in the opinion of the Attorney General, this proposed “special law” “circumvents the Supreme Court decision, harms the rule of law, and even endangers Israel because much international criticism will be leveled at it based on precepts of international law.”

Despite the question apparently being framed as a "push poll" - a survey which includes biased background information to sway the results, in this case against saving Amona - a plurality of respondents still backed efforts to preserve the town of Amona.

On the question – “In recent years we have heard opinions voiced in Israel that the political left is lacking in loyalty to the state on account of their criticism of Israel and its policies. In your opinion, is the left in Israel loyal or not loyal to the state?” - 47.5% of the Jews answered that the left is not at all loyal or not very loyal.

On the “Muezzin law,” which would prohibit the use of loudspeakers on mosques, at present heard loudly at midnight and before dawn in areas near Arab populations, 56% percent of the Jewish public supports the law, while slightly more – 59% - think that the problem can be solved in less official ways. Among Arabs, 93% feel that understandings and a satisfactory solution could be achieved in ways that are less formal than legislation.

On the question of annexing all of Judea and Samaria, a relatively high percentage – 44% - support a complete annexation, while 38% oppose such a move. When asked their opinion about the statement, “If the territories are annexed and one state is established under Israeli rule, there will be no choice but to give the Palestinians full and equal civil rights,” 48% disagreed while 42% agreed. Apparently, a large proportion of the Israeli public support both the annexation of all of Judea and Samaria without the necessity to grant full rights to the Arabs in those areas.

On the question of whether the new US President, Donald Trump is more sympathetic to Israel or the “Palestinians,” about half, 48.5%, believe that Trump is more sympathetic to Israel, 1% think he is more sympathetic to the “Palestinians,” 7% did not see him as favoring either side, and a high percentage – 22% - had no clear opinion. Among Arabs, 60% view President-elect Trump as more sympathetic to Israel. The 48.5% who believe that Trump is more sympathetic to Israel than the “Palestinians” is substantially lower than the 83% who, according to another recent poll, believe that Trump will be “a pro-Israel President.”